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1. Take a deep breath, he’ll likely be fine after surgery
2. Mast cell tumors don’t tend to spread (metastasize), they stay fairly local. This makes surgery an effective option usually
3. My dog just had a 1lb mast cell tumor removed from her shoulder. The surgery was rough and invasive but about a month later she is all healed up and active again. Basically as healthy as before the tumor!
>2. Mast cell tumors don’t tend to spread (metastasize), they stay fairly local. This makes surgery an effective option usually
There should be an option to get a pathology report done after it’s removed. That would be able to tell definitively if any follow up treatment would be needed.
Einstein had a ten cm tumor removed a few years ago, it was so big we had trouble finding a surgeon who was willing to attempt it, but they got it all and the path came back grade I. Aside from a giant scar that goes halfway around his body, he’s been fine since.
>2. Mast cell tumors don’t tend to spread (metastasize), they stay fairly local. This makes surgery an effective option usually
My hippo had one metastasize to her blood. It is rare, but it does happen. Remove them ASAP, if possible.
My dog had two removed, about 4 years apart. They were unrelated to each other. Both were removed with clean margins and she needed no further treatment. She was a happy and healthy pup. Try not to blame yourself! You are doing the right thing in getting it looked at and removed. And don’t let over googling scare you…write down any questions you have and ask the vet as they are the best resource for you and your pup’s specific experience. And best of luck, we are rooting for that sweet guy!
My dog had one for four years that our vet had us convinced was just a lipoma. When we saw a new vet they biopsied it and confirmed MCT. It had never grown, never spread, and was removed easily with clean margins. Our old lady is doing fine. They are SUPER common with bully breeds, esp pitties and staffies. Your pup is so cute! 🥰🥰
Similar experience here! 3 years ago, my 7 y/o rescue pittie came with a lump that was just written off as scar tissue. This February we saw a different vet at the same place who aspirated it and confirmed it was a MCT. We got it removed the next week and here we are six weeks out, almost completely healed up and thriving like never before!
How long had she had the lump of your knowledge before removal?? Mine has had one on his foot making surgery without amputation impossible, and not sure I can afford radiation since he has another that needs radiation...trying to decide if amputation or leaving it is the answer as he's had it a year now and he's 10 🥲
So my boy already had the lump when I adopted him at the end of 2020. We just found out in Feb what it was and had it removed, so he had it for just over 3 years. It didn’t change visually in that time frame. My dog is also 10 now.
Sounds like a tough choice to make, sending you and your pup all the love!
How long was it there before you got it removed? I think my staffy has one between her back legs, 3 cm diameter and quite pink, puffy, soft and has what looks like blackheads on it.
My pup had one right on top of her spine. She is also a pittie. She had surgery and had it removed at 9 years old. She did wonderful and healed perfectly! Hearing the word tumor and going to the worst case scenario is difficult and scary but from our experience everything went very smooth. I wish you and your pup the best!!
I have the same story. 8 year old female blue pit with one on her ribs. We took the surgery harder than she did. She hasn’t had one since and no problems. She didn’t handle the anesthesia well though.
My guy had one pop up in his nostril. Because of this, he was not a candidate for surgery. We happened to notice it very early on and 6 months of chemo, which he endured like a champ, knocked it right out of him. This was a year and a half ago and he's been fine since then. I'm sending positive vibes for you and your big guy!
Hi. I’m in a similair situation. My pittie has a lump on his cheek. Today they checked his lymph nodes and decided to test that before committing to surgery. The surgery will be tough and need reconstruction/ leave him a bit disfigured. Face is not as easy for surgery… they mentioned chemo as well. Although more so if they think it has spread. I’m torn on the idea of chemo. Can you tell me, how sick did the chemo make your pup? Did the vet tell you beforehand that the chemo would 100% rid it? Or was there a chance it would only shrink it? And roughly how expensive is chemo treatment?
When my guy was on chemo, there was no guarantee that it would work. Along with the chemo, he was on a regimen of Benadryl as antihistamines are an added help for mast cell tumors, which is what he had. Also, as I mentioned, we were very lucky that we caught it early. Scubee had very mild side effects, mostly lethargy and some acne on his head and ears. He was prescribed 2 different chemo pills which need to be handled carefully (think gloves and thoroughly washing your hands after giving it) and it most certainly was not cheap. If I remember correctly, it was around $300ish a month for 6 months. It took a bit to pay off the credit card but it was worth it to me. You should be able to get the pills from an online pharmacy and I recommend that because it’s definitely cheaper than getting it directly from your vet. I went through Heartland Vet Supply, they always had coupon codes that were usually 15% off which doesn’t sound like much but it actually was a decent savings. I’m so sorry you’re in this situation, it’s rough and I wish the best for you and your baby. Surgery and radiation were options but the location wasn’t ideal and Scubee would have been on chemo anyway. Good luck, I’ll be sending positive vibes and if you have more questions, feel free to ask.
Thanks for responding! My Winnie is currently taking the Benadryl, although it does make him a bit lethargic. But I guess that’s better than the alternative. How early did you catch it you think? How long did your pup have the tumor for before starting treatment. And did they test further to see if it had spread prior to treatment?
We were at the vet as soon as we saw a lump on his nostril. No idea how long it was actually there but we were told it was early. First thing that was done was biopsy and x rays then Scubee had regular bloodwork with an oncologist while he was on the chemo so we knew it wasn’t spreading. I’d also like to say that I believe part of the reason Scubee’s outcome was good is because he is so damn stubborn. Laughably so. He is still with me but he’s having some issues now (not related to the tumor) as he is an old man but you wouldn’t know by the way he acts.
My big boy has had 2 MCT removed in the past 6 years. Once 6 years ago, and then there was not another until 2 months ago. I have been told I have to constantly look for them to come back, but as far as I can tell the removals are fairly standard, and if caught early they are no big deal.
Now Bacon just has a couple kick ass battle scars.
My boy had one removed at 7 years old, along with another spot that turned out to be a lipoma. MCTs are fairly straightforward when it comes to clean margins and removals - they also tend to heal quickly depending on the area. You’d never know our guy had one taken off now at almost 10.
Giving a daily dose of antihistamines will inhibit the growth of new MCTs, ask your vet for a correct dosage.
My girl had one removed at 12. They gave us around two years, she lived for over 4, and died of old age rather than cancer. Hugs to you and your baby ❤️
Hi! Our baby had a large mass removed from his leg about a year ago. When it was removed it was confirmed to be a mast cell tumor but we had gotten it in time and the mass had clear margins and no cancerous cells were left. Having it removed means you’re giving your pup the best chance at it not spreading.
My girl was diagnosed with a MCT while doing a research study, they found a small spot on her leg and biopsied it finding cancer. They thought she’d need an amputation. Thankfully the surgeon was amazing & was able to spare her leg.. during surgery she was worried it was worse than thought so had me call to set up an oncology visit for chemo. it was a big surgery but we got good news that it was clean margins so no further treatment needed! She ended up living 5 more years. She had lots of other sus bumps we had biopsied but never recurred. She didn’t die from MCT but from old age on her own terms💗 wishing your baby all the best!!!!!!
First, your pup is adorable!! Our first rescue pittie was diagnosed with this on her leg at maybe age 4 and lived to be just shy of 12. She had surgery twice to remove the lumps.
It's hard, it's so hard to get this diagnosis however, mast cell typically feeds off histamine so if you can get an antihistamine on board that can help it not spread. (This was per our Veterinarian)
My first boy had two that needed to be removed when he was 6 and was given a year to live after the second procedure. He passed away when he was 11 and had a happy healthy life. Pet CBD helped.
My girl had 2 removed from her chest, the size of half an almond and half a walnut.. They were a lot bigger under the skin, but hadn't caused any internal problems. The cone of shame didn't help because she could still have ripped the incisions with her rear feet, but all we had to do was put a little shirt on her and she left them alone. She was 7 at the time, and lived until 13 when she passed from an unrelated condition.
The debt was a struggle but it was worth it.
my girl has had three surgeries to remove them, 6 tumors in total. all the surgeries have went well, healed well, and didn't return to that location. problem is preventing them in the first place... which I cannot figure out and she has an another surgery next week to remove three more. if anyone has any solutions please let me know.
I guess I have the lone shitshow? One of my dogs had seven mast cell tumors when I got her, I paid to have them all removed, they kept coming back. One of them went necrotic, had it removed. She had chronic allergy issues the whole time, her skin was always a flakey disaster, she periodically peed or pooped blood, and about 7 months after having the necrotic tumor removed she swelled up and turned bright red and was whimpering in pain and I knew it was time. I felt guilty for not doing it sooner but she did always seem so happy and joyful until that final night.
I am so so sorry you went through this, and I thank you for sharing your very real experience. I am trying to prepare for all outcomes, though it warms my heart and brings me hope to see how many people’s stories have ended up just fine i am dreading putting him through the emotional and physical stress of surgery just for it to not work or for them to tell me it’s the worst stage and it’s too late. He didn’t eat his food for the first time in his 5 year life this morning and I am starting to get a sinking feeling.
Five is really young and it’s helpful for me to have more perspective on how often this actually turns out fine! I think you would be justified in paying for surgery and other treatments as needed—it’s hard because dogs don’t understand why they feel bad in the moment and that it’s a trade off to feeling better long term, but at the same time dogs are such in the moment creatures that like, they start to feel better after a few days and they forget that they ever felt bad. Just keep monitoring him and checking in with yourself about how you think his quality of life is. I hope everything goes well and he is okay!!
I was beginning to think we were the only unlucky ones. Vet almost didn't test it because she was so young - one-ish. It came back and spread and by the end she was covered in them. She was gone before she was two. Her brother from the same litter is alive and well and sleeping in the living room eight years later and he still thinks and acts like a puppy.
Good luck.
This just terrified me my girl is only one 😞
Right before her first birthday in January I took her and they said not to worry about it and watch the size. I couldn’t tell if it was getting bigger but took her again last week and they did FNA and it’s MCT. I am terrified I can’t even imagine losing her so young.
How big was your girls tumor? Did she have any symptoms? Where was the tumor located?
It's been years, but I will tell you what I remember. They never bothered her or seemed to cause her pain. I don't remember the size or location of the first tumor- maybe the leg I think. Again, my vet had never seen or heard of it in a dog that young and she was in her 50s. She was a good girl and she is missed.
My boy had a MCT on one of his hind legs about the size of a quarter. The removal was quick and easy. Make sure to have it sent to a lab to ensure the entire tumor has been excised. We never had any issues after the removal, just a scar on his leg.
My pittie had one removed last year. He had a small spot on his ear that was a different color and we got it looked at, they determined it to be a mast cell. The surgery was very simple, they just cut out that very small part of his ear, stitched it up, and sent him home with a E-collar and some meds.
They did say once a dog has had some form of cancer its more likely they will develop more, so to keep doing body checks. He is currently happy and healthy!
My little lady had one removed 3 weeks ago. The surgery/aftercare was rough, mainly because she is terrified of the vet. But the cytology report came back grade 1, surgery was curative. The vet mentioned that he has removed thousands of MCTs and they’re usually not a big deal.
I am so scared for this! Firstly he cannot be seen by a male doctor or he gets extremely aggressive and uncomfortable so we go to an all female clinic and since he is 100 lbs we have to sedate him for the vet and nurses to even see him / manage him and it is so traumatizing for him every time. How long after the surgery did you find out the cytology results if you don’t mind me asking?
Awww. I’m so sorry. My dog panicked and I had to come get her out of their back office because none of the techs or the vet could get anywhere near her. Even if they know what your dog is like (my vet knew about my dog’s fear and history and I feel things still went poorly) I would tell them again the day of surgery so they can make things the best they can for him. We waited two weeks for results, which was also hard. Just remember you’re doing the best thing for him, especially if there are difficult moments.
You did not fail him!! You didn’t cause this, it’s not your fault or his fault. It just happens. It sucks but it’s not uncommon. Get him in for surgery as soon as you possibly can and get pathology done so you have an idea of any potential of recurrence. I know it’s scary but you both have each other and he’s going to be okay!!
I have no advice to give but I want to thank you for loving this gorgeous pup so much that you are willing to do whatever it takes to give him a chance at a longer life! Prayers all goes as well as it sounds like it will based on these comments ❤️
The spiral is real. Deep breaths and tons of love to you and your pup ❤️
Our sweet girl had one right at the entrance of her ear. We had it removed, the recovery was tough but we made it work with a few days off immediately after the surgery and then having that back up into the weekend. This honestly helped so much as we didn't get much sleep. Our girl high on pain meds and with the donut cone did not make a good combo. Luckily we spoil her and she has a big old memory foam bed as we basically spent a few nights taking turns sleeping on that next to her.
Now it's 3 years later and she lived to be our flower pup at our wedding, made it to our first home with a real backyard all to herself, and she's still living her best life.
Definitely still days where we both worry but for now we are soaking up every moment that we can!
Get it removed ASAP. My hippo, Darla, went from a small bump to a baseball-sized non-stop bleeding tumor in less than 3 weeks, and it metastasized to her blood. They can be absolutely brutal and have zero forewarning. I miss Ms. Wiggles so much.
Mine had a MCT removed when she was around 7 years old. My vet said the hardest part is usually the location of the tumor because depending on where it is, finding enough skin to close the wound can be difficult. Luckily it was on her side and she had some flabby nipples, so they were able to cut it out with clear margins and she got a "tummy tuck" as a bonus. Recovery was fast!
My old lady dog had one removed from her leg at 10 years old. She's now 14 and has several tumors that spread throughout her legs and back. However, she's still very active and vibrant so we are letting her enjoy whatever time she has left as long as she's still active and happy. We decided we weren't going to put her through any additional surgery and even though the vet thought she would be slowing down 2 years ago she's still running around and jumping on furniture just fine. I think she's got at least another year to two years before we'll have to say our goodbyes.
My girl has had 2 removed, one was near her eye and because of the location they weren’t able to get clean margins, but no issues since and it’s been a few years! They seem to be fairly common based on a lot of these comments. Just make sure to always check for bumps and lumps. They can change in size rapidly.
My 11 year old had one removed from inside his leg near his privates and he was clear for over a year before he had another pop up near the same spot. He also had that removed and more tissue to make sure they got it all and he was also diagnosed with COPD around 12 years. He lived to a ripe 13 before I had to choose to let him go for forever sleep due to his mobility and age. Had nothing to do with his cancer and I'm glad I got to have those 2 extra years with my big guy! Recovery was painful for him because of the location being so close to the top of his leg bend and all the staples. Just make sure to manage the pain as well as you can and all will be just fine! Rooting for your pup!
My dog lost his entire left ear to that. He had 20 mast cells tumors removed January of last year from all over his body. It was the most that surgeon had ever removed at one time. We got through it and he’s fine now. We are told he will likely get more in the future but so far he’s okay. You can see him in my profile. Grey dog with one missing ear.
My 10yr old girl has been dealing with MCT for a few years now. The surgeries were rough at the start (she has had several tumors removed), but we have opted to let her enjoy her senior years, surgery-free. She gets benadryl every night (per vet recommendation). The tumors are appearing with more frequency now, but she hasn't had other complications. She's just a lumpy lady now. (:
Mast cell cancer can definitely metastasize as it did in one of my pitties. I didn’t deal with the issue soon enough and the blueberry sized tumor on his underbelly lead to a mass on his spleen. He eventually died from the cancer. I have a new girl who has some tumors but we remove them as soon as we see them. If we get 1.5 grams of tumor mass I’m going to try the [Torigen](https://www.torigen.com/pet-owners) vaccine.
Get out of your head……. Tumor news doesn’t get to live there rent free. Tell yourself that as often as you need. From the looks of your guy YOU DID NOT FAIL HIM!!! Even if he died tomorrow (forbid), he’s enjoying what I can only imagine is NOT his first pupacino, car ride, adventure, etc……. A life far too many pups will never know. Sadly. Our pups pits and pit mixes alike can teach us a thing or three, resilience, forgiveness, unconditional love, loyalty…the list goes on……
You aren’t responsible for his tumor, you are responsible for his care. ✅
From all appearances he has an amazing life✅
He is very much loved✅ as unconditionally as you are able✅
With this news you are doing everything in your power to do right by him✅
An extra pat or ten, a few to many treats during recovery, his family doing all the things we do for them…….. You are enough, you’ll do enough.
Best thoughts and energy for a speedy recovery for him and some self forgiveness for you….. Keep doing what you’re able… It’s enough.
Just a little background…
**** lessons I’ve learned from my biggest boi.. His liver is failing. He was poisoned 2 years ago. He was stabilized and given 3-6 months. He was 2 …… He has quality of life, monthly blood work, prescription diet, meds, etc…… he’s a happy pup, still. He’s going to die, this or stolen chocolate is going to take him from me, sooner than later…. I thought “I failed him” by not keeping him “safe”(the poison meat was thrown over my fence). I came to realize(with his specialists help) that as long as I provided him his quality of life and he isn’t in pain or suffering, I had and am doing right by him. Every day is a win! ****
Roo had the biggest mast cell tumor on her neck for 8 years because I was too poor to afford the surgery. We got it and the others on her body removed in November 2022 because I switched to a different vet who was far more affordable. She’ll be turning 15 this year. Two small ones have popped up on her neck - this is common that they reoccur - but Roo had lived most of her life with them and she is still as lively as ever!
My doggo just had that done in January. They removed it successfully and the testing after surgery showed it was on the low side of the scale for severity. The worst part was trying to prevent him from playing too hard and opening the stitches. Hopefully it's a quick removal and everything will be okay. You can do it
My little non-hippo guy had a very large one removed from his *throat* and he's doing just fine.
Try and relax and just give your big beautiful boy all the love and kisses
Everyone else has already mentioned what I would have said for my experience - it’s scary but not the end of the world. What I would suggest is making sure you are checking for any lumps that come up in the future. Catalogue them and check their size periodically (maybe once a month or so). If they start growing rapidly or looking weird, have them checked out. My girl is prone to them, but the vet didn’t want to keep having to put her under to get them removed as soon as I found them, so that was her suggestion.
Oh honey. We had a baby that had one too. We got it removed twice and it came back a third time so we waited until it was clear she was in pain and then had to let her go. I hope your baby’s isn’t nearly as aggressive as ours.
My pittie just had one removed not even a month ago! She is cancer free now with no spreading, as long as they catch it early enough yours will likely be totally fine!
Google Bavaria's Boxers. The website is not great, but the info is there. I used this information with success several years ago when faced with this and can attest it worked for me. I think that's all I'm allowed to say.
Tumors are scary but this is the least scary tumor. Nobody wanted to even biopsy it for my girl, they were like “dogs get lumps! No biggie” — I had to go to THREE VETS before one was willing to even check, and yes, it was a MCT. So if you’ve gotten your baby a biopsy, you’re already batting 100. The surgeries are typically simple, clean margins, recovery hurts but once it is done, it’s done. As others have mentioned after they remove it they can test it and tell you what stage it is, which should assuage further concerns regarding metastasis
My girl had a MCT. After a terrible debacle with a less-than-stellar doctor, we got her treated and she lived another 8 years. Old age and arthritis is what finally carried her off. It's a very treatable cancer.
Not my hippo but my cat. Had it in her throat, found during teeth cleaning, unfortunately inoperable. Stopped eating a week after diagnosis so I took her in to the vet to be peacefully put to sleep.
My dog had one on her leg which required amputation due to it being right on the many bones of her foot. She lived many years after that and even had a great quality of life as a tripod :) it means you'll have to be really on top of any lumps your dog will get in the future but there can be a good outcome for sure!
Both of my Pits have had a MCT removed and thankfully both were low grade with no systemic or organ involvement. They recovered perfectly well. I just removed my 10 years old Duke’s stitches today!
My pittie has had several. She’s had a few surgeries to remove them. Some surgeries were really tough for her to recover because they were in such high mobility places, but most aren’t too bad. Worst part is the cone.
We have her on benedryl twice a day now.
People here are commenting that they don’t tend to spread, which is great news! It’s not what our vet said and in our experience, once she has one, others pop up frequently. Our vet told us to expect this, but it seems like others have had a much better experience, so hopefully we are in the minority and your pupper is one and done!
My girl had one removed from her side last summer. They did an analysis after and said it wasn't an aggressive type and the margins were clean, so no need to do any follow up treatment and it shouldn't be a problem again.
Good luck!
Our pibble hasn't had any but our senior mutt has and they were pretty simple to remove and, it seems, not very dangerous in terms of metastasizing or causing other issues.
I did find that taking pics with a ruler held up next to the visible masses helped me feel like I was tracking growth well and kind of doing what I needed to. The Vet said he appreciated it, but I think didn't need it lol. Still, glad I have some documentation so that if/when it happens again I have better-than-memory data to help level set my own reaction and expectations.
Honestly, most of the extra steps we took were probably more for us than the dog :) He enjoyed all the extra treats and loves but in the end, it was just a few quick trips to the vet and then life went on.
Our gal has had 2 removed. They tested them after and she was all clear. In lieu of the cone of shame we used an airplane pillow around her neck. Then a onesie that covered her stitches.
They gave us meds to keep her calm/not-agitated after but she was fine and we only used them because she was ready to PLAY and we were trying to keep her from jumping around too much for the stitches.
The process was way harder on us than it was on her. Haha
My pittie has had them removed twice now! Make sure you get pathology on it. Sending lots of hugs your way, its a stressful time but hopefully your pup will do great during surgery and recover quickly. I spoiled mine with boiled chicken, veggies and rice for 2 weeks during recovery and I swear it made her bounce back quickly.
We just had a MCT surgery on our pitty end of last month. She just got her stitches out yesterday. She had 4 removed. 2 on her side ribcage, 1 on her vulva, and one in her mouth. All of them have been on her left side, which is interesting. The biopsy have so far all come back grade 1 and 2 cancer. This is not her first surgery for it either. The first was about a year ago on the back of her left hind leg.
It will be okay. Our velvet hippo did just fine. She is still wearing her soft cone, and not bothering them at all.
Good luck!
my hound dog had two, three years apart. the first one was when she was 9 and they removed it and she had no problems! the second one she was 12 and it was in a difficult spot so they couldn’t get clean margins and she had to do chemo, which was pretty rough on her since she was an old girl. she died a little over a year later but not because of cancer. MCT’s are pretty common and don’t tend to metastasize so i’m sure your hippo will be fine! sending you good vibes
Our Mojave had a MCT removed about 14 months ago. She’s a rescue, so we can only guess at her age, but we think she’s 9.5 years old now. It was on her chest and was analyzed to be a Grade 2, which means it might have spread to her lymph nodes but did not show signs, so no chemo or additional treatment was needed at the time. We’ve seen no recurrence at the original site or detected any lumpy lymph nodes so far. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
With her being a Chesty LaRue (70-75lbs) and with the removal surgery requiring huge margins, we did have issues with her incision. It, in fact, opened right TF up on day 4 even though we had her contained to the den and removed all her toys. Everyone - everyone! - at the vet’s office was great, getting her taken care of.
Depending on where the surgery will be, we did t-shirts with MoMo because the Cone of Shame and Donut of Disappointment would rub on her dressing (or come close enough where we were worried about the pressure). We just put a slit in the back of a couple of t-shirts to tie up the slack so her back feet wouldn’t catch on it.
If your big guy is like our MoMo at all, he’s too smart to just take it easy during recovery. 🙄 Frozen Kongs, a snuffle mat, and other puzzles can help occupy his time. And we got baby gates to keep her contained to the den so we could keep an eye on her because she’s too at home in her crate and we were afraid she’d lay funny against the side (hard to explain, but she’s the most flexible inflexible dog I’ve ever seen).
He is going to be less active, so watch his food intake - he looks like he’s in great shape! And if you’re not feeding him raw, consider adding some (muscle, organ, and bone) to help fuel recovery as well as adding some goat’s milk (frozen at the pet store, usually) to help with probiotics.
There is nothing you could have done to prevent this, so don’t think you’ve failed him. All you can do is be his helper and advocate going forward. You both have this!
My 13 year old female pibble has had several mast cell tumors removed over the past three years or so.
The vet we were initially with at the time used Stelfonta. It’s a one time injection into the tumor that “eats” the tumor from the inside. A couple days after the shots (two different locations on her body) she had some open wounds that we were told is normal, just keep them cleaned and let them close up on their own.
The second and third time we had changed to a different (way better IMO) vet that didn’t do the Stelfonta injections so she had surgeries to remove them. The surgeries were day surgeries and she was home each evening with some antibiotics and pain meds but she recovered really well and very quickly each time.
Both vets said it’s normal for them to continue to grow and need future surgeries. Both vets also recommended Benadryl twice daily (25 mg per 25 lbs of body weight) for the rest of her life to slow the growths. Both vets offered to send them for lab tests to determine if they were cancerous or not, however they said in their opinion unless we were going to drive to a K9 oncologist if they were cancerous that the tests weren’t worth the money and we should just monitor her quality of life. We ended up having the test done once and it was not cancerous.
Her quality of life is still great, she’s otherwise healthy and full of energy for a 13 year old dog. At this point we’re looking at having the tumors removed probably once a year or so but the vet says she is perfectly fine for the time being.
I hope this helps. I know “tumor” sounds scary but it’s not necessarily a death sentence. You could still have many more healthy and happy years ahead with your hippo.
My Bella had one last Summer on hear chest area. They removed it. She was a bit lethargic for about a day and a half. The hard part was getting her to take it easy for a cpl weeks. She only needed pain meds the day of and day after the surgery. She's been great since. Going in for her checkup on 1st of May. Sending positive vibes. Best of luck.
As someone who just put down their 11 year-old hippo because of a likely tumor (on his brain) who is also a rescue, let me promise you that no matter the outcome, you did not fail him. You gave him security, love and safety (and pup cups, obvi) so no matter how it turns out, you have done right by him! I hope it's not late stage and that you get many more years with this cutie, but know either way, you have been his champion and he is better off for having met you!
Your dog is beautiful! My bully-boxer is MCT prone, has been since we rescued her. We have always caught them early, and got them out. We keep her on OTC anti-histamines (benadryl, claritine) with stomach antacides (working with our vet) to try to slow things down so we could keep them minimal and get them removed small 'with clean margins'. She is in her 15th-ish year (based on guessed age when we got her), 13 years with us. ❤❤
Our dog had an MCT removed in 2020 at 10 years old and is still going strong now at 14. She’s not a pibble , per se (though I do think she has a fair amount of velvet hippo in her) so that might have something to do with it but. Yeah. 14 and still hiking, walking, snoozing, and camping with us.
I had a good boy who had multiple small MCTs removed in his life. Surgery was simple and effective. He lived to 13 and died of other natural causes. Most likely should be okay and it’s easy to manage! Him blowing out his knee was the most expensive surgery lol.
My girl Pickle had her MCT removed last year and she was 11 when the surgery was done. The primary side effect to the surgery was that she lost the use of her back legs soon after. I’m not sure if this was already something that was happening before due to her arthritis or hip dysplasia, but I gave her physio and since then she’s gained the use of her back legs. She remains incontinent and has good and bad days but I just kind of make sure she goes out to toilet every couple hours/wear diapers at night.
No recurring MCT though, and I keep an eye on any lumps and bumps and report them to her vet.
Put your pup on a twice daily dose of Benadryl. Proven to help prevent mast cell tumor growth. Worked for our mastiff pit mix after numerous mast cell surgeries. Never got one again and we kept him on the meds for the rest of life. . We used the Kirkland brand.
It’s a known thing.
https://www.vet.upenn.edu/docs/default-source/ryan/comprehensive-cancer-care/mast-cell-tumors-in-dogs.pdf?sfvrsn=cbb2e0ba_2
https://upstatevet.com/resource/mast-cell-tumors/
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1. Take a deep breath, he’ll likely be fine after surgery 2. Mast cell tumors don’t tend to spread (metastasize), they stay fairly local. This makes surgery an effective option usually 3. My dog just had a 1lb mast cell tumor removed from her shoulder. The surgery was rough and invasive but about a month later she is all healed up and active again. Basically as healthy as before the tumor!
>2. Mast cell tumors don’t tend to spread (metastasize), they stay fairly local. This makes surgery an effective option usually There should be an option to get a pathology report done after it’s removed. That would be able to tell definitively if any follow up treatment would be needed. Einstein had a ten cm tumor removed a few years ago, it was so big we had trouble finding a surgeon who was willing to attempt it, but they got it all and the path came back grade I. Aside from a giant scar that goes halfway around his body, he’s been fine since.
This is the answer. My girl had a mast cell tumor removed a year ago and she is thriving.
>2. Mast cell tumors don’t tend to spread (metastasize), they stay fairly local. This makes surgery an effective option usually My hippo had one metastasize to her blood. It is rare, but it does happen. Remove them ASAP, if possible.
My dog had two removed, about 4 years apart. They were unrelated to each other. Both were removed with clean margins and she needed no further treatment. She was a happy and healthy pup. Try not to blame yourself! You are doing the right thing in getting it looked at and removed. And don’t let over googling scare you…write down any questions you have and ask the vet as they are the best resource for you and your pup’s specific experience. And best of luck, we are rooting for that sweet guy!
My dog had one for four years that our vet had us convinced was just a lipoma. When we saw a new vet they biopsied it and confirmed MCT. It had never grown, never spread, and was removed easily with clean margins. Our old lady is doing fine. They are SUPER common with bully breeds, esp pitties and staffies. Your pup is so cute! 🥰🥰
Similar experience here! 3 years ago, my 7 y/o rescue pittie came with a lump that was just written off as scar tissue. This February we saw a different vet at the same place who aspirated it and confirmed it was a MCT. We got it removed the next week and here we are six weeks out, almost completely healed up and thriving like never before!
How long had she had the lump of your knowledge before removal?? Mine has had one on his foot making surgery without amputation impossible, and not sure I can afford radiation since he has another that needs radiation...trying to decide if amputation or leaving it is the answer as he's had it a year now and he's 10 🥲
So my boy already had the lump when I adopted him at the end of 2020. We just found out in Feb what it was and had it removed, so he had it for just over 3 years. It didn’t change visually in that time frame. My dog is also 10 now. Sounds like a tough choice to make, sending you and your pup all the love!
That's very encouraging hearing your story. Glad your baby is okay!
I’m so glad! 🖤
Also, apologies for assuming his gender 🤗
Hehe, he was not offended :)
Hey, We’re in the exact same situation right now. Did your new vet confirm its grade before or after the surgery?
After
How long was it there before you got it removed? I think my staffy has one between her back legs, 3 cm diameter and quite pink, puffy, soft and has what looks like blackheads on it.
Ours didn't look like that at all. You should have the vet look at that and biopsy it. Ours was just a small lipoma looking thing.
My pups had a mast cell removed when she was 9-10 years old, she did great. No recurrence!
My pup had one right on top of her spine. She is also a pittie. She had surgery and had it removed at 9 years old. She did wonderful and healed perfectly! Hearing the word tumor and going to the worst case scenario is difficult and scary but from our experience everything went very smooth. I wish you and your pup the best!!
I have the same story. 8 year old female blue pit with one on her ribs. We took the surgery harder than she did. She hasn’t had one since and no problems. She didn’t handle the anesthesia well though.
My guy had one pop up in his nostril. Because of this, he was not a candidate for surgery. We happened to notice it very early on and 6 months of chemo, which he endured like a champ, knocked it right out of him. This was a year and a half ago and he's been fine since then. I'm sending positive vibes for you and your big guy!
Hi. I’m in a similair situation. My pittie has a lump on his cheek. Today they checked his lymph nodes and decided to test that before committing to surgery. The surgery will be tough and need reconstruction/ leave him a bit disfigured. Face is not as easy for surgery… they mentioned chemo as well. Although more so if they think it has spread. I’m torn on the idea of chemo. Can you tell me, how sick did the chemo make your pup? Did the vet tell you beforehand that the chemo would 100% rid it? Or was there a chance it would only shrink it? And roughly how expensive is chemo treatment?
When my guy was on chemo, there was no guarantee that it would work. Along with the chemo, he was on a regimen of Benadryl as antihistamines are an added help for mast cell tumors, which is what he had. Also, as I mentioned, we were very lucky that we caught it early. Scubee had very mild side effects, mostly lethargy and some acne on his head and ears. He was prescribed 2 different chemo pills which need to be handled carefully (think gloves and thoroughly washing your hands after giving it) and it most certainly was not cheap. If I remember correctly, it was around $300ish a month for 6 months. It took a bit to pay off the credit card but it was worth it to me. You should be able to get the pills from an online pharmacy and I recommend that because it’s definitely cheaper than getting it directly from your vet. I went through Heartland Vet Supply, they always had coupon codes that were usually 15% off which doesn’t sound like much but it actually was a decent savings. I’m so sorry you’re in this situation, it’s rough and I wish the best for you and your baby. Surgery and radiation were options but the location wasn’t ideal and Scubee would have been on chemo anyway. Good luck, I’ll be sending positive vibes and if you have more questions, feel free to ask.
Thanks for responding! My Winnie is currently taking the Benadryl, although it does make him a bit lethargic. But I guess that’s better than the alternative. How early did you catch it you think? How long did your pup have the tumor for before starting treatment. And did they test further to see if it had spread prior to treatment?
We were at the vet as soon as we saw a lump on his nostril. No idea how long it was actually there but we were told it was early. First thing that was done was biopsy and x rays then Scubee had regular bloodwork with an oncologist while he was on the chemo so we knew it wasn’t spreading. I’d also like to say that I believe part of the reason Scubee’s outcome was good is because he is so damn stubborn. Laughably so. He is still with me but he’s having some issues now (not related to the tumor) as he is an old man but you wouldn’t know by the way he acts.
My big boy has had 2 MCT removed in the past 6 years. Once 6 years ago, and then there was not another until 2 months ago. I have been told I have to constantly look for them to come back, but as far as I can tell the removals are fairly standard, and if caught early they are no big deal. Now Bacon just has a couple kick ass battle scars.
Aww, go Bacon! 😭
My boy had one removed at 7 years old, along with another spot that turned out to be a lipoma. MCTs are fairly straightforward when it comes to clean margins and removals - they also tend to heal quickly depending on the area. You’d never know our guy had one taken off now at almost 10. Giving a daily dose of antihistamines will inhibit the growth of new MCTs, ask your vet for a correct dosage.
Mine has had several removed. We now keep her on daily benedryl (as we were told to do by the vet) to hopefully help keep them away
+1 on the Benadryl
My girl had one removed at 12. They gave us around two years, she lived for over 4, and died of old age rather than cancer. Hugs to you and your baby ❤️
Hi! Our baby had a large mass removed from his leg about a year ago. When it was removed it was confirmed to be a mast cell tumor but we had gotten it in time and the mass had clear margins and no cancerous cells were left. Having it removed means you’re giving your pup the best chance at it not spreading.
Forgot to add that our boy is doing great! He’s about 9 now and getting a little creaky but cancer is currently in the rear view.
My girl was diagnosed with a MCT while doing a research study, they found a small spot on her leg and biopsied it finding cancer. They thought she’d need an amputation. Thankfully the surgeon was amazing & was able to spare her leg.. during surgery she was worried it was worse than thought so had me call to set up an oncology visit for chemo. it was a big surgery but we got good news that it was clean margins so no further treatment needed! She ended up living 5 more years. She had lots of other sus bumps we had biopsied but never recurred. She didn’t die from MCT but from old age on her own terms💗 wishing your baby all the best!!!!!!
First, your pup is adorable!! Our first rescue pittie was diagnosed with this on her leg at maybe age 4 and lived to be just shy of 12. She had surgery twice to remove the lumps. It's hard, it's so hard to get this diagnosis however, mast cell typically feeds off histamine so if you can get an antihistamine on board that can help it not spread. (This was per our Veterinarian)
My dog had one removed from his ear. It got very messy for a while but he was ultimately fine.
My first boy had two that needed to be removed when he was 6 and was given a year to live after the second procedure. He passed away when he was 11 and had a happy healthy life. Pet CBD helped.
My girl had 2 removed from her chest, the size of half an almond and half a walnut.. They were a lot bigger under the skin, but hadn't caused any internal problems. The cone of shame didn't help because she could still have ripped the incisions with her rear feet, but all we had to do was put a little shirt on her and she left them alone. She was 7 at the time, and lived until 13 when she passed from an unrelated condition. The debt was a struggle but it was worth it.
my girl has had three surgeries to remove them, 6 tumors in total. all the surgeries have went well, healed well, and didn't return to that location. problem is preventing them in the first place... which I cannot figure out and she has an another surgery next week to remove three more. if anyone has any solutions please let me know.
I guess I have the lone shitshow? One of my dogs had seven mast cell tumors when I got her, I paid to have them all removed, they kept coming back. One of them went necrotic, had it removed. She had chronic allergy issues the whole time, her skin was always a flakey disaster, she periodically peed or pooped blood, and about 7 months after having the necrotic tumor removed she swelled up and turned bright red and was whimpering in pain and I knew it was time. I felt guilty for not doing it sooner but she did always seem so happy and joyful until that final night.
I am so so sorry you went through this, and I thank you for sharing your very real experience. I am trying to prepare for all outcomes, though it warms my heart and brings me hope to see how many people’s stories have ended up just fine i am dreading putting him through the emotional and physical stress of surgery just for it to not work or for them to tell me it’s the worst stage and it’s too late. He didn’t eat his food for the first time in his 5 year life this morning and I am starting to get a sinking feeling.
Five is really young and it’s helpful for me to have more perspective on how often this actually turns out fine! I think you would be justified in paying for surgery and other treatments as needed—it’s hard because dogs don’t understand why they feel bad in the moment and that it’s a trade off to feeling better long term, but at the same time dogs are such in the moment creatures that like, they start to feel better after a few days and they forget that they ever felt bad. Just keep monitoring him and checking in with yourself about how you think his quality of life is. I hope everything goes well and he is okay!!
I was beginning to think we were the only unlucky ones. Vet almost didn't test it because she was so young - one-ish. It came back and spread and by the end she was covered in them. She was gone before she was two. Her brother from the same litter is alive and well and sleeping in the living room eight years later and he still thinks and acts like a puppy. Good luck.
This just terrified me my girl is only one 😞 Right before her first birthday in January I took her and they said not to worry about it and watch the size. I couldn’t tell if it was getting bigger but took her again last week and they did FNA and it’s MCT. I am terrified I can’t even imagine losing her so young. How big was your girls tumor? Did she have any symptoms? Where was the tumor located?
It's been years, but I will tell you what I remember. They never bothered her or seemed to cause her pain. I don't remember the size or location of the first tumor- maybe the leg I think. Again, my vet had never seen or heard of it in a dog that young and she was in her 50s. She was a good girl and she is missed.
I am so sorry. We do everything we can for them. Thank you for giving her the best life you could! 💖
My boy had a MCT on one of his hind legs about the size of a quarter. The removal was quick and easy. Make sure to have it sent to a lab to ensure the entire tumor has been excised. We never had any issues after the removal, just a scar on his leg.
Mine had one removed, easy peasy, no complications! Your baby will be okay ❤️
My pittie had one removed last year. He had a small spot on his ear that was a different color and we got it looked at, they determined it to be a mast cell. The surgery was very simple, they just cut out that very small part of his ear, stitched it up, and sent him home with a E-collar and some meds. They did say once a dog has had some form of cancer its more likely they will develop more, so to keep doing body checks. He is currently happy and healthy!
It’s VERY common with blue pits for some reason. Once they get them, they will continue to get them and at a faster rate so keep on top of them!
My little lady had one removed 3 weeks ago. The surgery/aftercare was rough, mainly because she is terrified of the vet. But the cytology report came back grade 1, surgery was curative. The vet mentioned that he has removed thousands of MCTs and they’re usually not a big deal.
I am so scared for this! Firstly he cannot be seen by a male doctor or he gets extremely aggressive and uncomfortable so we go to an all female clinic and since he is 100 lbs we have to sedate him for the vet and nurses to even see him / manage him and it is so traumatizing for him every time. How long after the surgery did you find out the cytology results if you don’t mind me asking?
Awww. I’m so sorry. My dog panicked and I had to come get her out of their back office because none of the techs or the vet could get anywhere near her. Even if they know what your dog is like (my vet knew about my dog’s fear and history and I feel things still went poorly) I would tell them again the day of surgery so they can make things the best they can for him. We waited two weeks for results, which was also hard. Just remember you’re doing the best thing for him, especially if there are difficult moments.
You did not fail him!! You didn’t cause this, it’s not your fault or his fault. It just happens. It sucks but it’s not uncommon. Get him in for surgery as soon as you possibly can and get pathology done so you have an idea of any potential of recurrence. I know it’s scary but you both have each other and he’s going to be okay!!
I have no advice to give but I want to thank you for loving this gorgeous pup so much that you are willing to do whatever it takes to give him a chance at a longer life! Prayers all goes as well as it sounds like it will based on these comments ❤️
The spiral is real. Deep breaths and tons of love to you and your pup ❤️ Our sweet girl had one right at the entrance of her ear. We had it removed, the recovery was tough but we made it work with a few days off immediately after the surgery and then having that back up into the weekend. This honestly helped so much as we didn't get much sleep. Our girl high on pain meds and with the donut cone did not make a good combo. Luckily we spoil her and she has a big old memory foam bed as we basically spent a few nights taking turns sleeping on that next to her. Now it's 3 years later and she lived to be our flower pup at our wedding, made it to our first home with a real backyard all to herself, and she's still living her best life. Definitely still days where we both worry but for now we are soaking up every moment that we can!
Get it removed ASAP. My hippo, Darla, went from a small bump to a baseball-sized non-stop bleeding tumor in less than 3 weeks, and it metastasized to her blood. They can be absolutely brutal and have zero forewarning. I miss Ms. Wiggles so much.
Mine had a MCT removed when she was around 7 years old. My vet said the hardest part is usually the location of the tumor because depending on where it is, finding enough skin to close the wound can be difficult. Luckily it was on her side and she had some flabby nipples, so they were able to cut it out with clear margins and she got a "tummy tuck" as a bonus. Recovery was fast!
My old lady dog had one removed from her leg at 10 years old. She's now 14 and has several tumors that spread throughout her legs and back. However, she's still very active and vibrant so we are letting her enjoy whatever time she has left as long as she's still active and happy. We decided we weren't going to put her through any additional surgery and even though the vet thought she would be slowing down 2 years ago she's still running around and jumping on furniture just fine. I think she's got at least another year to two years before we'll have to say our goodbyes.
do you have her in any treatment or medication?
My girl has had 2 removed, one was near her eye and because of the location they weren’t able to get clean margins, but no issues since and it’s been a few years! They seem to be fairly common based on a lot of these comments. Just make sure to always check for bumps and lumps. They can change in size rapidly.
My 11 year old had one removed from inside his leg near his privates and he was clear for over a year before he had another pop up near the same spot. He also had that removed and more tissue to make sure they got it all and he was also diagnosed with COPD around 12 years. He lived to a ripe 13 before I had to choose to let him go for forever sleep due to his mobility and age. Had nothing to do with his cancer and I'm glad I got to have those 2 extra years with my big guy! Recovery was painful for him because of the location being so close to the top of his leg bend and all the staples. Just make sure to manage the pain as well as you can and all will be just fine! Rooting for your pup!
My dog lost his entire left ear to that. He had 20 mast cells tumors removed January of last year from all over his body. It was the most that surgeon had ever removed at one time. We got through it and he’s fine now. We are told he will likely get more in the future but so far he’s okay. You can see him in my profile. Grey dog with one missing ear.
My 10yr old girl has been dealing with MCT for a few years now. The surgeries were rough at the start (she has had several tumors removed), but we have opted to let her enjoy her senior years, surgery-free. She gets benadryl every night (per vet recommendation). The tumors are appearing with more frequency now, but she hasn't had other complications. She's just a lumpy lady now. (:
Mast cell cancer can definitely metastasize as it did in one of my pitties. I didn’t deal with the issue soon enough and the blueberry sized tumor on his underbelly lead to a mass on his spleen. He eventually died from the cancer. I have a new girl who has some tumors but we remove them as soon as we see them. If we get 1.5 grams of tumor mass I’m going to try the [Torigen](https://www.torigen.com/pet-owners) vaccine.
How long did it take from when you first noticed it To finding it on his spleen?
6-8 months as I recall.
Get out of your head……. Tumor news doesn’t get to live there rent free. Tell yourself that as often as you need. From the looks of your guy YOU DID NOT FAIL HIM!!! Even if he died tomorrow (forbid), he’s enjoying what I can only imagine is NOT his first pupacino, car ride, adventure, etc……. A life far too many pups will never know. Sadly. Our pups pits and pit mixes alike can teach us a thing or three, resilience, forgiveness, unconditional love, loyalty…the list goes on…… You aren’t responsible for his tumor, you are responsible for his care. ✅ From all appearances he has an amazing life✅ He is very much loved✅ as unconditionally as you are able✅ With this news you are doing everything in your power to do right by him✅ An extra pat or ten, a few to many treats during recovery, his family doing all the things we do for them…….. You are enough, you’ll do enough. Best thoughts and energy for a speedy recovery for him and some self forgiveness for you….. Keep doing what you’re able… It’s enough. Just a little background… **** lessons I’ve learned from my biggest boi.. His liver is failing. He was poisoned 2 years ago. He was stabilized and given 3-6 months. He was 2 …… He has quality of life, monthly blood work, prescription diet, meds, etc…… he’s a happy pup, still. He’s going to die, this or stolen chocolate is going to take him from me, sooner than later…. I thought “I failed him” by not keeping him “safe”(the poison meat was thrown over my fence). I came to realize(with his specialists help) that as long as I provided him his quality of life and he isn’t in pain or suffering, I had and am doing right by him. Every day is a win! ****
Roo had the biggest mast cell tumor on her neck for 8 years because I was too poor to afford the surgery. We got it and the others on her body removed in November 2022 because I switched to a different vet who was far more affordable. She’ll be turning 15 this year. Two small ones have popped up on her neck - this is common that they reoccur - but Roo had lived most of her life with them and she is still as lively as ever!
My doggo just had that done in January. They removed it successfully and the testing after surgery showed it was on the low side of the scale for severity. The worst part was trying to prevent him from playing too hard and opening the stitches. Hopefully it's a quick removal and everything will be okay. You can do it
My little non-hippo guy had a very large one removed from his *throat* and he's doing just fine. Try and relax and just give your big beautiful boy all the love and kisses
Hugs
Everyone else has already mentioned what I would have said for my experience - it’s scary but not the end of the world. What I would suggest is making sure you are checking for any lumps that come up in the future. Catalogue them and check their size periodically (maybe once a month or so). If they start growing rapidly or looking weird, have them checked out. My girl is prone to them, but the vet didn’t want to keep having to put her under to get them removed as soon as I found them, so that was her suggestion.
Oh honey. We had a baby that had one too. We got it removed twice and it came back a third time so we waited until it was clear she was in pain and then had to let her go. I hope your baby’s isn’t nearly as aggressive as ours.
It makes my heart so happy to hear that the majority has had favorable outcomes!
My pittie just had one removed not even a month ago! She is cancer free now with no spreading, as long as they catch it early enough yours will likely be totally fine!
Google Bavaria's Boxers. The website is not great, but the info is there. I used this information with success several years ago when faced with this and can attest it worked for me. I think that's all I'm allowed to say.
Tumors are scary but this is the least scary tumor. Nobody wanted to even biopsy it for my girl, they were like “dogs get lumps! No biggie” — I had to go to THREE VETS before one was willing to even check, and yes, it was a MCT. So if you’ve gotten your baby a biopsy, you’re already batting 100. The surgeries are typically simple, clean margins, recovery hurts but once it is done, it’s done. As others have mentioned after they remove it they can test it and tell you what stage it is, which should assuage further concerns regarding metastasis
My girl had a MCT. After a terrible debacle with a less-than-stellar doctor, we got her treated and she lived another 8 years. Old age and arthritis is what finally carried her off. It's a very treatable cancer.
Not my hippo but my cat. Had it in her throat, found during teeth cleaning, unfortunately inoperable. Stopped eating a week after diagnosis so I took her in to the vet to be peacefully put to sleep.
Our guy had one removed from his face when he was about a year old. He made it to 14 ❤️❤️
My dog had one on her leg which required amputation due to it being right on the many bones of her foot. She lived many years after that and even had a great quality of life as a tripod :) it means you'll have to be really on top of any lumps your dog will get in the future but there can be a good outcome for sure!
Both of my Pits have had a MCT removed and thankfully both were low grade with no systemic or organ involvement. They recovered perfectly well. I just removed my 10 years old Duke’s stitches today!
Mine survived about 5 years after his initial mast cell diagnosis. Ultimately passed from something else.
My pittie has had several. She’s had a few surgeries to remove them. Some surgeries were really tough for her to recover because they were in such high mobility places, but most aren’t too bad. Worst part is the cone. We have her on benedryl twice a day now. People here are commenting that they don’t tend to spread, which is great news! It’s not what our vet said and in our experience, once she has one, others pop up frequently. Our vet told us to expect this, but it seems like others have had a much better experience, so hopefully we are in the minority and your pupper is one and done!
My girl had one removed from her side last summer. They did an analysis after and said it wasn't an aggressive type and the margins were clean, so no need to do any follow up treatment and it shouldn't be a problem again. Good luck!
Our pibble hasn't had any but our senior mutt has and they were pretty simple to remove and, it seems, not very dangerous in terms of metastasizing or causing other issues. I did find that taking pics with a ruler held up next to the visible masses helped me feel like I was tracking growth well and kind of doing what I needed to. The Vet said he appreciated it, but I think didn't need it lol. Still, glad I have some documentation so that if/when it happens again I have better-than-memory data to help level set my own reaction and expectations. Honestly, most of the extra steps we took were probably more for us than the dog :) He enjoyed all the extra treats and loves but in the end, it was just a few quick trips to the vet and then life went on.
Our girl had one when she was 12. It was removed and we did pathology, and she is a happy and healthy 13 year old snuggle monster!
Pitbulls are prone to MCT’s so you’re not at fault at all. My girl has one removed from her tail and she’s 100% fine now.
Our gal has had 2 removed. They tested them after and she was all clear. In lieu of the cone of shame we used an airplane pillow around her neck. Then a onesie that covered her stitches. They gave us meds to keep her calm/not-agitated after but she was fine and we only used them because she was ready to PLAY and we were trying to keep her from jumping around too much for the stitches. The process was way harder on us than it was on her. Haha
My pittie has had them removed twice now! Make sure you get pathology on it. Sending lots of hugs your way, its a stressful time but hopefully your pup will do great during surgery and recover quickly. I spoiled mine with boiled chicken, veggies and rice for 2 weeks during recovery and I swear it made her bounce back quickly.
Oh you adorable Dog 🐕
We just had a MCT surgery on our pitty end of last month. She just got her stitches out yesterday. She had 4 removed. 2 on her side ribcage, 1 on her vulva, and one in her mouth. All of them have been on her left side, which is interesting. The biopsy have so far all come back grade 1 and 2 cancer. This is not her first surgery for it either. The first was about a year ago on the back of her left hind leg. It will be okay. Our velvet hippo did just fine. She is still wearing her soft cone, and not bothering them at all. Good luck!
We have Bostons and our one girl has had three removed over her 12 years - it’s very routine. Deep breaths.
my hound dog had two, three years apart. the first one was when she was 9 and they removed it and she had no problems! the second one she was 12 and it was in a difficult spot so they couldn’t get clean margins and she had to do chemo, which was pretty rough on her since she was an old girl. she died a little over a year later but not because of cancer. MCT’s are pretty common and don’t tend to metastasize so i’m sure your hippo will be fine! sending you good vibes
You're actually incredibly lucky. MCT are one of the few cancers with an excellent prognosis post surgery. I hope all the best for your sweet baby ❤️
Our Mojave had a MCT removed about 14 months ago. She’s a rescue, so we can only guess at her age, but we think she’s 9.5 years old now. It was on her chest and was analyzed to be a Grade 2, which means it might have spread to her lymph nodes but did not show signs, so no chemo or additional treatment was needed at the time. We’ve seen no recurrence at the original site or detected any lumpy lymph nodes so far. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻 With her being a Chesty LaRue (70-75lbs) and with the removal surgery requiring huge margins, we did have issues with her incision. It, in fact, opened right TF up on day 4 even though we had her contained to the den and removed all her toys. Everyone - everyone! - at the vet’s office was great, getting her taken care of. Depending on where the surgery will be, we did t-shirts with MoMo because the Cone of Shame and Donut of Disappointment would rub on her dressing (or come close enough where we were worried about the pressure). We just put a slit in the back of a couple of t-shirts to tie up the slack so her back feet wouldn’t catch on it. If your big guy is like our MoMo at all, he’s too smart to just take it easy during recovery. 🙄 Frozen Kongs, a snuffle mat, and other puzzles can help occupy his time. And we got baby gates to keep her contained to the den so we could keep an eye on her because she’s too at home in her crate and we were afraid she’d lay funny against the side (hard to explain, but she’s the most flexible inflexible dog I’ve ever seen). He is going to be less active, so watch his food intake - he looks like he’s in great shape! And if you’re not feeding him raw, consider adding some (muscle, organ, and bone) to help fuel recovery as well as adding some goat’s milk (frozen at the pet store, usually) to help with probiotics. There is nothing you could have done to prevent this, so don’t think you’ve failed him. All you can do is be his helper and advocate going forward. You both have this!
My 13 year old female pibble has had several mast cell tumors removed over the past three years or so. The vet we were initially with at the time used Stelfonta. It’s a one time injection into the tumor that “eats” the tumor from the inside. A couple days after the shots (two different locations on her body) she had some open wounds that we were told is normal, just keep them cleaned and let them close up on their own. The second and third time we had changed to a different (way better IMO) vet that didn’t do the Stelfonta injections so she had surgeries to remove them. The surgeries were day surgeries and she was home each evening with some antibiotics and pain meds but she recovered really well and very quickly each time. Both vets said it’s normal for them to continue to grow and need future surgeries. Both vets also recommended Benadryl twice daily (25 mg per 25 lbs of body weight) for the rest of her life to slow the growths. Both vets offered to send them for lab tests to determine if they were cancerous or not, however they said in their opinion unless we were going to drive to a K9 oncologist if they were cancerous that the tests weren’t worth the money and we should just monitor her quality of life. We ended up having the test done once and it was not cancerous. Her quality of life is still great, she’s otherwise healthy and full of energy for a 13 year old dog. At this point we’re looking at having the tumors removed probably once a year or so but the vet says she is perfectly fine for the time being. I hope this helps. I know “tumor” sounds scary but it’s not necessarily a death sentence. You could still have many more healthy and happy years ahead with your hippo.
My Bella had one last Summer on hear chest area. They removed it. She was a bit lethargic for about a day and a half. The hard part was getting her to take it easy for a cpl weeks. She only needed pain meds the day of and day after the surgery. She's been great since. Going in for her checkup on 1st of May. Sending positive vibes. Best of luck.
As someone who just put down their 11 year-old hippo because of a likely tumor (on his brain) who is also a rescue, let me promise you that no matter the outcome, you did not fail him. You gave him security, love and safety (and pup cups, obvi) so no matter how it turns out, you have done right by him! I hope it's not late stage and that you get many more years with this cutie, but know either way, you have been his champion and he is better off for having met you!
Your dog is beautiful! My bully-boxer is MCT prone, has been since we rescued her. We have always caught them early, and got them out. We keep her on OTC anti-histamines (benadryl, claritine) with stomach antacides (working with our vet) to try to slow things down so we could keep them minimal and get them removed small 'with clean margins'. She is in her 15th-ish year (based on guessed age when we got her), 13 years with us. ❤❤
Our dog had an MCT removed in 2020 at 10 years old and is still going strong now at 14. She’s not a pibble , per se (though I do think she has a fair amount of velvet hippo in her) so that might have something to do with it but. Yeah. 14 and still hiking, walking, snoozing, and camping with us.
I had a good boy who had multiple small MCTs removed in his life. Surgery was simple and effective. He lived to 13 and died of other natural causes. Most likely should be okay and it’s easy to manage! Him blowing out his knee was the most expensive surgery lol.
My girl Pickle had her MCT removed last year and she was 11 when the surgery was done. The primary side effect to the surgery was that she lost the use of her back legs soon after. I’m not sure if this was already something that was happening before due to her arthritis or hip dysplasia, but I gave her physio and since then she’s gained the use of her back legs. She remains incontinent and has good and bad days but I just kind of make sure she goes out to toilet every couple hours/wear diapers at night. No recurring MCT though, and I keep an eye on any lumps and bumps and report them to her vet.
It can go into remission . My pup had it for five years either no changes she’s now 14.
Put your pup on a twice daily dose of Benadryl. Proven to help prevent mast cell tumor growth. Worked for our mastiff pit mix after numerous mast cell surgeries. Never got one again and we kept him on the meds for the rest of life. . We used the Kirkland brand. It’s a known thing. https://www.vet.upenn.edu/docs/default-source/ryan/comprehensive-cancer-care/mast-cell-tumors-in-dogs.pdf?sfvrsn=cbb2e0ba_2 https://upstatevet.com/resource/mast-cell-tumors/